RUBBED BRISKET
Makes 8 to 10 servings. Adapted from "Jewish Slow Cooker Recipes,” by Laura Frankel (John Wiley and Sons, 2009).
2 tablespoons ground dry mustard
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder or chili powder (see note)
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon smoked paprika, preferably hot
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground anise seed
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (5-pound) beef brisket (see note)
Olive oil
2 large yellow onions, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 ribs celery, diced
1 head garlic, unpeeled, cut in half horizontally
Combine dry mustard, thyme, chile powder, coriander, paprika, cumin, anise, ginger and brown sugar in a small bowl.
Salt and pepper the brisket on both sides. Rub the brisket with a little olive oil. Generously coat the brisket on all sides with the rub.
Place onions, carrots, celery and garlic in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Place the brisket, fat side up, on top of the vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
Transfer the brisket to a cutting board or platter, cover loosely and let cool completely before trimming off fat and slicing.
Strain the drippings through a fine-mesh strainer into a storage container. Discard vegetables. Cover and refrigerate the drippings until the fat rises to the top and hardens. Remove and discard the fat. The remaining drippings can be heated and served as a sauce with the sliced brisket. Cooked brisket can be wrapped well and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. To reheat, place sliced brisket and strained drippings into a casserole or large oven-safe pot and cover. Reheat in 300-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
Note: If using regular chili powder, add 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper for heat, if desired. Warehouse stores are the best source of large briskets such as the one called for in this recipe.
Per serving (based on 10, with defatted drippings): 520 calories; 22g fat; 8g saturated fat; 105mg cholesterol; 74g protein; 7g carbohydrate; 5g sugar; 1g fiber; 120mg sodium; 65mg calcium.
THE WICHITA EAGLE — Jan. 25, 2012
SLOW-COOKER BOUILLABAISSE
Makes 6 servings. Adapted from “The French Slow Cooker,” by Michele Scicolone (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012).
2 cups chopped, peeled and seeded fresh tomatoes or chopped canned tomatoes
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 large fennel bulb, chopped, green tops trimmed and feathery leaves chopped and reserved
1 medium leek, trimmed, well-washed and sliced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (see note)
1/4 teaspoon hot smoked paprika or ground red (cayenne) pepper
1 pinch saffron threads, crumbled
Salt
4 cups water
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup bottled clam juice
1 pound boneless, skinless fish fillets, such as halibut, grouper or monkfish
8 ounces sea scallops
8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 small hard-shell clams, soaked and scrubbed (optional)
1 small loaf French bread, sliced and toasted
Rouille (see recipe)
Combine tomatoes, carrots, celery, fennel and leek in a large slow cooker. Add tomato paste, herbes de Provence, paprika, saffron and salt to taste. Add water, wine and clam juice. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or until the vegetables are tender.
Cut fish into bite-size chunks and stir into the soup with sea scallops, shrimp and clams (if using). Cover and cook for 30 minutes more. Taste; adjust seasonings if necessary.
Place a slice of bread into each soup dish. Add bouillabaisse; sprinkle with fennel fronds. Serve hot with a spoonful of rouille on top. Pass the remaining bread and rouille at the table.
Note: Herbes de Provence is a spice mixture available in the dried spice aisle of some supermarkets and at specialty stores. Typical ingredients include some combination of thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, basil, fennel seeds and lavender.
Per serving (without bread or rouille): 250 calories; 3g fat; no saturated fat; 100mg cholesterol; 34g protein; 15g carbohydrate; 5g sugar; 4g fiber; 325mg sodium; 110mg calcium.
THE WICHITA EAGLE — Jan. 25, 2012
ROUILLE
Makes about 3/4 cup. Adapted from “The French Slow Cooker.”
1/4 cup roasted red bell peppers
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 pinch smoked hot paprika or ground red (cayenne) pepper
In a blender or food processor, finely chop red peppers and garlic together.
Add mayonnaise, oil, lemon juice and paprika; process until smooth. Serve immediately with bouillabaisse or other dishes or refrigerate in a covered jar for up to two days.
Per tablespoon: 80 calories; 9g fat; 1g saturated fat; 3mg cholesterol; no protein; no carbohydrate; no sugar; no fiber; 50mg sodium; no calcium.
THE WICHITA EAGLE — Jan. 25, 2012
SHREDDED CHICKEN RAGU WITH PASTA
Makes 4 servings. Adapted from “Weight Watchers One Pot Cookbook” (Wiley, 2012).
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with basil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 fresh basil sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (5-ounce) skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat (see tester’s note)
4 cups hot cooked whole-wheat rotini
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Combine tomatoes, onion, basil, garlic, bay leaf, salt and pepper in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Nestle the chicken in the vegetables. Cover and cook on low until chicken is cooked through, about 4 to 6 hours. Discard basil sprigs and bay leaf.
With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a cutting board. With two forks, shred chicken. Discard bones. Return chicken to slow cooker along with rotini; toss until mixed well. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan.
Tester’s note: For a meatier dish, use up to 4 chicken thighs. Each additional thigh will add 26 calories, 1 gram of fat and 3 grams of protein per serving.
Per serving: 329 calories; 5g fat; 2g saturated fat; 29mg cholesterol; 20g protein; 51g carbohydrate; 10g sugar; 5g fiber; 561mg sodium; 166mg calcium.
THE WICHITA EAGLE — Jan. 25, 2012
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